A system controller 115 has a function of changing the position and the orientation of character data to be superimposed on the image data, in accordance with the operation of one of orientation keys. Specifically, when a downward key has been pushed, the character data is superimposed on a lower portion of the image data, not revolved and but oriented upward. When a rightward key has been pushed, the character data is revolved counterclockwise through 90 degrees, and is located along the right-hand edge of the image data, oriented leftward. When an upward key has been pushed, the character data is revolved through 180 degrees, and is located along the upper edge of the image data, oriented downward. Further, when a leftward key has been pushed, the character data is revolved clockwise through 90 degrees, and is located along the left-hand edge of the image data, oriented rightward. When synthesizing attendant information such as character data with image data and printing the resultant data, the position and the orientation of the attendant information can be efficiently set by a simple operation.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A printer for printing an image based on image data and attendant information associated with the image data, the printer comprising: means for synthesizing the image data with the attendant information to produce print image data; means for printing an image based on the print image data; means for changing an orientation of attendant information to be superimposed on the image, to one of a plurality of predetermined orientations, said changing means changing the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with a predetermined operation by a user so that the attendant information is synthesized with the image, oriented appropriately for an orientation of the image data; and an operation unit including four operation sections corresponding to upward, downward, leftward and rightward, wherein the changing means sets, in accordance with a user's operation of the operation unit, the position of the attendant information on the image data along one of upper, lower, left and right edges of the image data, and changes the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with the set position; wherein the changing means includes means for shifting the position of the attendant information along the one of the upper, lower, left and right edges in accordance with a user's operation of that one of the four operation sections, which corresponds to the one of the upper, lower, left and right edges.
2. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the first orientation and position is predetermined, and said second orientation and position is selectable by a user.
3. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the attendant information includes character data.
4. A digital camera comprising: means for forming an image of a to-be-photographed subject; means for converting the image into electronic image data; means for generating attendant information associated with the image data; means for synthesizing the attendant information with the image data to produce print image data; means for printing an image based on the print image data; means for changing, to one of a plurality of predetermined orientations, an orientation of the attendant information to be synthesized with the image data, the changing means changing the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with a user's predetermined operation so that the attendant information is synthesized with the image data, orientated appropriately for an orientation of the image data; and an operation unit including four operation sections corresponding to upward, downward, leftward and rightward, and a control means which sets, in accordance with a user's operation of the operation unit, the position of the attendant information on the image data along one of upper, lower, left and right edges of the image data, and changes the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with the set position, wherein the changing means includes means for shifting the position of the attendant information along the one of the upper, lower, left and right edges in accordance with a user's operation of that one of the four operation sections, which corresponds to the one of the upper, lower, left and right edges.
5. The digital camera according to claim 4 , wherein the changing means changes the position and the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with a user's selection.
6. The digital camera according to claim 4 , wherein the attendant information includes character data.
7. A printer for printing an image based on image data and attendant information associated with the image data, the printer comprising: a synthesizer that is structured to synthesize the image data with the attendant information to produce print image data; a printer that prints an image based on the print image data; a processor that changes an orientation of attendant information to be superimposed on the image, to one of a plurality of predetermined orientations, said processor being capable of changing the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with a predetermined operation by a user so that the attendant information is synthesized with the image, oriented appropriately for an orientation of the image data; and an operation unit including four operation sections corresponding to upward, downward, leftward and rightward, wherein the processor sets, in accordance with a user's operation of the operation unit, the position of the attendant information on the image data along one of upper, lower, left and right edges of the image data, and changes the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with the set position; wherein the processor includes an image data shifter that shifts the position of the attendant information along the one of the upper, lower, left and right edges in accordance with a user's operation of that one of the four operation sections, which corresponds to the one of the upper, lower, left and right edges.
8. A digital camera comprising: an imager that form an image of a to-be-photographed subject; a converter that converts the image into electronic image data; a data composer that generates attendant information associated with the image data; a synthesizer that combines the attendant information with the image data and produces print image data; a printer that prints an image based on the print image data; a data processor that operates to change an orientation of the attendant information to be synthesized with the image data to one of a plurality of predetermined orientations, the processor changing the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with a user's predetermined operation so that the attendant information is synthesized with the image data, orientated appropriately for an orientation of the image data; and an operation unit including four operation sections corresponding to upward, downward, leftward and rightward, and a controller which sets, in accordance with a user's operation of the operation unit, the position of the attendant information on the image data along one of upper, lower, left and right edges of the image data, and changes the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with the set position, wherein the processor includes a shifter that shifts the position of the attendant information along the one of the upper, lower, left and right edges in accordance with a user's operation of that one of the four operation sections, which corresponds to the one of the upper, lower, left and right edges.
9. A printer apparatus that is capable of simultaneously printing image data and character string data associated with the image data, the apparatus comprising: means for displaying to-be-printed image data on a preview screen: a manual operation member manually operable by a user to select a position for the character string data: a control section for controlling a position and an orientation of the character string data according to a selection by the user; and a print data processing section for synthesizing the image data with the character string data output from the character string data position control section, and then printing the synthesized data, wherein the manual operation member includes four operation sections corresponding to upward, downward, leftward and rightward, thereby enabling the control section to set in accordance with a user's operation of the operation member, the position for attendant information on the image data to one of upper, lower, left and right edges of the image data, and change the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with the set position, wherein the control section includes means for shifting the position of the attendant information to one of the upper, lower, left and right edges in user's operation of that one of the four operation sections, which corresponds to the one of the upper, lower, left and right edges.
10. An electronic camera equipped with a printer apparatus that is capable of simultaneously printing image data obtained by photography and character string data associated with the image data, the apparatus comprising: means for converting image data concerning a photographed subject into an electronic signal; means for displaying to-be-printed image data on a preview screen; a manual operation member manually operable by a user to select orientation and position of the character string data; a control section for controlling the position and the orientation of the character string data when printing the image data according to the user's selection; and a print data processing section for synthesizing the image data with the character string data output from the character string data position control section, and then printing the synthesized data, wherein the manual operation member includes four operation sections corresponding to upward, downward, leftward and rightward, thereby enabling the control section to set in accordance with a user's operation of the operation member, the position for attendant information on the image data to one of upper, lower, left and right edges of the image data, and change the orientation of the attendant information in accordance with the set position, wherein the control section includes means for shifting the position of the attendant information to one of the upper, lower, left and right edges in user's operation of that one of the four operation sections, which corresponds to the one of the upper, lower, left and right edges.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 26, 2000
March 28, 2006
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